Transparency in the Food System

February 2, 2018

Labels and Biotech Food

According to this article by former U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, so-called "absence claims" labels--those that arbitrarily tell a consumer what isn't in a product, rather than what is--represent an emerging labeling trend that is harmful both to the consumers who purchase the products and the industry that supplies them. This report also features references to CAST research and an issue paper chaired by Kent Messer--Process Labeling of Food: Consumer Behavior, the Agricultural Sector, and Policy Recommendations. An earlier issue paper from CAST explains the controversy surrounding another basic labeling topic: The Potential Impacts of Mandatory Labeling for Genetically Engineered Food in the United States.